From A to Z, Stay With Me
by I'll Break Your Heart
Summary: From the first time she had met him, to the promises that they made, Rio always thought he was a cute jerk. Alphabet drabbles about Rio and Allen.
1. A is for Allen

_A is for Allen_

Rio had never fully understood the saying "A wolf in sheep's clothing."

Wouldn't it be _really _obvious to tell if it was a wolf in sheep's clothes? For one thing, anyone would notice if wool from an _entire sheep_ suddenly went missing. For another…it was a wolf for crying out loud. How could anyone be so stupid as to mistake a wolf wearing stolen wool as a sheep?

"It looks like you're having a bit of a bad hair day too. Come by and I'll help sort you out!"

The second _he_ had left her house though, Rio finally understood what it meant. She couldn't help but scowl a little.

"What a jerk," she muttered under her breath, her cheeks feeling unusually warm. She sighed.

Why did the new stylist have to be so cute?

**XXX**

**I noticed that most of the AllenxRio fics are actually RioxNeil fics in disguise. Or they're incomplete. Or they're full of OC's. Or they're full of threesomes.**

**So I decided to write my very first A to Z challenge. Not a bad way to ease myself in the Harvest Moon community eh?**


	2. B is for Blue Feather

B is for Blue Feather

"I never pegged you for a romantic type Rio."

The surprise in Allen's voice almost made her want to jump for joy. She had finally done it! She had finally caught him off guard!

Tossing her hair back, she straightened herself up and gave a small smirk. "Damn straight!" she said, not caring about her language (she was a farmer, not a poet) "I believe that the Blue Feather's one of the most humblest and sweetest acts of love out there!" She gave a dreamy sigh as her mind began to wander.

"I can't wait until I get one from my prince." She murmured, giggling to herself. "I can just picture it now…He'll call me out when I least expect, present me the Blue Feather, tell me he never wants to leave my side, and then we'll-"

She was cut off when she heard the soft laughter of Allen coming from right next to her. Realizing she had been rambling, she shot him a quick glare.

"What's so funny?" She asked, trying hard not show her embarrassment.

"Nothing." Allen said, still chuckling. "It's just that…. Are you telling me how to propose to you?"

Rio's eyes widened. She felt her confidence shatter into a million pieces and scatter around her. Her cheeks becoming suddenly hot, she balled her hands up into two fists and screamed,

"O-of course not!"

**XXX**

**So, I wrote two because I thought just one drabble was too short. Cheers!**


	3. C is for Cheesecake

C is for Cheesecake

Why was she here?

No, correction.

Why was she here with _him_?

He hadn't forced her to come with him (well, not physically force her) but here she was now, sitting at a table with a (delicious) looking slice of cheesecake in front of her, a cup of mint tea next to her hand,

And Allen sitting right across from her.

"What's up? It's my treat, so you don't have to hold back! Eat, come on."

She fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. Usually, she would've replied with a snarky remark (somewhere along the lines of how she didn't like to be told what to do) but this time she felt…..embarrassed.

The tea, the cake, the cute boy right in front of her. It almost felt like a….like a….

Date.

Noticing that Allen was looking at her funny, Rio took a deep breath.

"Thank you so much," she muttered.

For now, she'd just go with it. After all,

The cheesecake in front of her did look really, really good.

**XXX**

**It's not that I hate cheesecake, but whenever my family buys it, we always get way too much. Don't get me wrong though, when I get the cravings, I get it hard.**

**Thank you for reviewing: **Mnema

**Thank you for favoriting/following: ** , kouhaixsempai, umbreonix, Mnema, A Furry Cat


	4. D is for Dog Day

D is for Dog Day

"Come back! Heel Bessie! Heel! Heel!"

Rio could only shout in vain as she ran after her dog.

Maybe getting a dog wasn't the _best_ idea. Animals like cows, chickens, and sheep she could deal with, but a dog? No. Bessie seemed to have a habit of causing mischief wherever she went.

Sure, Rio loved playing with Bessie and loved it when Bessie helped her with her chores, but sometimes…

"Bessie! Come back! Please!" She shouted again. Running as fast as she could, she outstretched her hands to grab the damn dog-

Only to trip and fall flat on her.

"Oww…" Rio groaned, lifting her head up. Disoriented, she blinked a couple times and rubbed the dirt out of her eyes. Really, today was not her day-

"You okay there?" A voice suddenly asked her.

Rio felt herself stiffen. Slowly lifting her head up, she was met by the amused stare of Allen. Her eyes widened when she saw that Bessie was being held in _his_ arms.

Yeah, today was _definitely_ not her day.

**XXX**

**A dog named "Bessie," yes, I went there. **

**Thank you for reviewing: **Swag Giraffe (yours made me really happy), Guest

**Thank you for favoriting/following: ** , Swag Giraffe,


	5. E is for Embarrassed

E is for Embarrassed

Damn it, he had charmed her.

All he had to do was say some words and suddenly, she was out of her house and sitting outside,

With _him_.

She glared at Allen as he sat on a log, rocking his legs back and forth.

Why had she agreed to this?

"Wow, that breeze sure does feel good! I've been worked to the bone recently thinking of new hairstyles!" He said, a small smile on his face. He stretched out his arms and gave a content sigh.

Rio blinked in surprise. Working on new hairstyles? She knew Allen was a hard worker but,

Was the job of a stylist really that hard? If it was, why did Allen-?

"Why did you do it?" She suddenly found herself asking.

"Hm?"

"Why did you….become a stylist?" Rio looked down, playing with a strand of her blonde hair. "I….want to know…" she muttered.

There was a long silence before Allen chuckled.

"You want to know why I became a stylist? Let me see…" His voice trailed off. Rio looked up and was met with a look that made her think _"uh oh."_

"If you ask me as cutely as you can, I might tell you."

Rio felt herself stiffen. "C-cute?" She spluttered. "I…I…. I…" she mumbled, her face beginning to feel hot.

"I'm too-"

She stopped herself. Allen looked at her with an amused expression on his face.

"Too?" He asked, drawing out the word. Rio pouted, realization flooding over her.

He _wanted_ her to say what she was about to say…didn't he? Rio stood up from where she had been sitting on the ground, a look of defiance on her face.

"I'll…I'll give it a shot!" She said.

Screw being embarrassed. She would show him!

Squeezing her eyes tight, she said asked in a soft voice, "Why did you…. become a…. stylist?"

There was a pause then,

"Humm…not quite there yet. Again."

Rio opened her eyes. Allen was sitting, his arms crossed with a serious expression on his face… but with a twinkle in his eyes. She frowned. Taking a deep breath she looked down at her feet and asked in a higher tone,

"Why did you…become a stylist?"

Another silence, then,

"A little cuter…You're almost there."

Was he…. encouraging her? She looked up to see Allen with a small smile on his face.

She took another deep breath. By now, her cheeks were burning and she wanted nothing more than to run back to her farm,

But she had to do this.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she looked Allen straight in his eyes and asked as cutely as she could,

"Why did you become a stylist…. Allen?" Her face was red and her heart was beating loudly,

But she remained eye contact with him.

After what felt like an eternity, Allen smiled.

A real smile.

"That's not bad, coming from you Rio. Pretty good overall actually." He said, standing up and patting her on the head. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear.

"I'll tell you everything."

Despite the embarrassment she had went through, when Allen whispered in her ear,

That's when she felt the most embarrassed.

**XXX**

**Two in one day special! This sp far is the longest chapter. But it's also one of my favorite Heart events.**

**Shout out to Swag Giraffe who reviewed in mere minutes after I posted the Dog Day chapter.**


	6. F is for Father

F if for Father

"Wow, look at all the info you plugged me for. I don't normally talk that much." Allen said, running a hand through his red hair.

"Normally?" Rio asked sarcastically, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Hearing her response, Allen just gave a small chuckle.

In all seriousness though, Rio had to admit that hearing Allen's past had given her a new found respect for the stylist. Even his views on appearance seemed to become more interesting now that she knew why they were important to him.

Still, Rio couldn't help but notice something.

She couldn't help but notice that Allen didn't speak one word about his father.

He had talked lovingly about his mother and his sister, but had said nothing about the man who had brought him up. Puzzled, Rio frowned a little.

"What about-?" She began to ask but stopped herself mid-sentence.

It was as quick as lightning, but she had seen it. There on Allen's face for a split second,

A look of panic.

"What about…?" He asked back, crossing his arms. She could see a frown beginning to tease his lips.

Rio looked at him, and then looked away. Not meeting his gaze she asked,

"W-what about Rod? When did you meet him?"

Allen blinked in surprise, as if not expecting that question to be asked. Then, uncrossing his arms, Rio heard him sigh,

"You want to know even more huh? Can't get enough of my voice?" He teased.

She whipped her head around and glared at him. "Well excuse me for being curious!" She half-yelled.

Allen just laughed again. A laugh that Rio couldn't help but smile to.

She wouldn't push him to talk about his father.

For now, that subject seemed to be something that Allen wanted to keep to himself.

**XXX**

**I'm in love with tiramisu. This has nothing to do with the plot but I thought I'd just put it out there.  
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**Thank you for reviewing: **Swag Giraffe (Reviewed twice! Thanks thanks!)


	7. G is for Glasses

G is for Glasses

"Hey. I'm in a good mood right now. I don't mind hanging out for a while." Rio mimicked, adjusting the costume glasses on her face. She giggled a little.

Earlier, Rio had walked into Yuri's Tailor only to find a small box of costume glasses out on display. Though Yuri said that the glasses were an incorrect order that had been shipped to her, she let Rio have a little fun with one of the pair of glasses.

The pair of glasses that resembled a certain red headed stylist's glasses.

Rio tossed her blonde hair back and imitated Allen's smirk. "What? You want me to apologize Rio?" she said, letting her voice drop. "Well, I guess since I have been acting like an insensitive jerk that I can give you an apology."

She heard a small-restrained laugh come from Yuri (who had been working behind the counter.) Giving the tailor a grin, Rio continued.

"I'm sorry that I'm such a jerk and that I'm always making fun of your style." Rio said. Another laugh came from Yuri, this time less restrained.

"Really you have a great sense of style and I was just jealous because I knew I could never pull it off." Rio grinned, pushing up the glasses.

Yuri's laughter was now a little bit louder. Encouraged by this, Rio went on.

"Really Rio, I think you are the most stylish person I've ever met."

Another burst of laughter from Yuri. Rio's grin widened.

"Yes, most definitely the most stylish person I ever met. In fact, I think your-"

Rio paused, trying to think of a word to use. Her mind fell blank.

"Your…your…." Rio mumbled, thinking hard.

She didn't want to say that her imaginary Allen thought she was "cute" or "pretty," that was just too embarrassing for her. But she also wanted her imaginary Allen to complement her in some way.

As she struggled to think of a word, she suddenly heard Yuri gasp. Looking up at her, Rio gave her a confused look.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

The tailor only looked at her, then at something behind her. Rio was about to look behind her when,

"Your what?" A different voice suddenly asked.

Rio froze. She'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Oh crap." She said out loud. She didn't even need to turn around to see who it was.

She heard a sigh come from behind her. "Really Rio, and you call me a narcissist." The voice said. She could practically hear the sarcasm dripping from it.

Nervously, Rio turned around.

"Hi…. Allen…." She said, mentally hitting herself.

Why did she build the tailor right next to the salon?

**XXX**

**It's snowing outside. I'm making mug cakes to satisfy my need for cake.**

**Thank you for reviewing: **Swag Giraffe (your reviews mean a lot to me~!)


	8. H is for Hungry

H is for Hungry

"You cook?" Rio asked in disbelief.

"Did you expect me not to?" Allen retorted. Seeing the shocked expression on the girl's face, he chuckled.

"Well you should know Rio that it's not just my styling that is top notch, I'm pretty handy in the kitchen too. In fact," he said. "I was feeling a bit hungry so I was thinking of buying some ingredients and making some food."

Rio paused. "Y-you haven't eaten yet?" She asked.

Allen nodded, "Yes, why?"

Rio looked at him, and then looked away. She remained silent for a while before suddenly looking back at Allen with determination in her eyes.

"Wait here." She said, and ran out the door of the salon.

Ten minutes she was back with a plate in her hands.

"Here." She said, her voice slightly breathy.

Allen could only stare in disbelief as Rio held out to him a plate of Genovese pasta. He looked at the food (his favorite food) then back up at Rio.

The blonde hair girl blushed when she saw the curious look on Allen's face.

"I had some extra ingredients and wanted to try a new recipe that I….found." She said, turning her head and not making eye contact with him. "I-I mean you said you were hungry but if you don't want it or anything then-"

"No." Allen said, taking the plate from her. The tempting aroma of the pasta wafted up to him, almost making his stomach growl. He smiled.

"This is….quite a thoughtful gift."

The farmer almost gasped in shock at Allen's words. She turned her head to see Allen's smile. Her eyes widened.

It was a real smile. A smile that seemed to quicken Rio's heart rate. A smile that made her already hot cheeks feel even hotter.

That smile though quickly turned into a smirk.

"You get me. You've got great sensibilities so," Allen said teasingly. Leaning in, he whispered to her,

"Allow me to praise you."

**XXX  
><strong>**As they say, Allen will be Allen will be Allen will be Allen!**

**Thank you for reviewing: **Swag Giraffe, Guest, imaginebelieve

**Thank you for following/favoriting: **demonskie


	9. I is for Ice Cream

I is for Ice Cream

He was teasing her! She knew he was!

She watched as Allen took another bite of the strawberry ice cream _right_ in front of her. It took all her will power not to drool as she watched the pink treat slid into his mouth.

The day was uncomfortably hot and the ice cream that Allen was eating looked absolutely,

Delicious.

"What's wrong Rio? You've been staring at me for a while now."

Rio's eyes shot up from the ice cream to Allen's face. He teasingly placed another bite of the cold sweet into his mouth before removing the spoon and dangling it in front of her.

"You want some?" He asked smugly. Rio gritted her teeth.

"N-no!" She said quickly. "I was just thinking of how weird you look when you leave that spoon in your mouth!"

A surprised look crossed over Allen's face. It lasted only a second though.

"My mouth?" He asked. "You were staring at my mouth?" He smirked at her.

"Why Rio if you wanted a kiss why didn't you just tell me?"

Rio's face turned a bright, bright red the second he said that. "W-what?!" She spluttered. "I-I wasn't... I-I didn't-!"

Before she could even say another word, Allen took the spoon he was holding, scooped up a spoonful of the strawberry ice cream,

And placed it straight in Rio's mouth.

"Mmph-!" Rio yelled as a burst of strawberry flavor invaded her taste buds. She stared at Allen, eyes wide.

"There Rio," He said. "I don't think you're ready for a real kiss yet so you'll have to settle for this indirect one for now." He said, giving her a wink.

Rio just stood there, literally frozen to the spot.

**XXX**

**Ironic thing is that early this morning we had ANOTHER snowstorm and its super cold outside! I wouldn't want to be eating ice cream now!**

**And for those of you who don't know, an indirect kiss is when basically someone uses an object (like a fork for eating or a straw for drinking) and another person comes along and uses that SAME object. I guess it's "indirect" because the second person is basically getting the saliva from the first person ****J**

**Thanks for reviewing: **born on CS day (sorry, I only write for video games and Pokemon anime) Swag Giraffe


	10. J is for Jealous

J is for Jealous

He wasn't jealous. Not at all.

He wasn't jealous that Rio was smiling and talking happily to someone who wasn't him. He wasn't jealous that Rio was blushing at someone who wasn't him. He wasn't jealous that Rio was laughing with someone who wasn't him.

And he definitely wasn't jealous that the "someone" Rio was with was Rod.

Why would he be jealous of Rod? He had known Rod since childhood and knew how much of a crybaby he could be. Why would he be jealous of someone like him?

No, he wasn't jealous of Rod.

He was just...feeling unwell.

"Ah, young love." A voice suddenly said. Allen turned around, his piercing gaze moving from Rod and Rio to the old man behind him who had just spoken.

"Those two look happy together, I hope it works out."

Allen glared at Dunhill as soon as he said this. He could feel his two hands clench tightly into fists.

"They are not dating." He said, emphasizing the "not."

Dunhill raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He asked, "But they look so-"

"Do you see a ring on her finger?" Allen said, his voice laced with ice. An unknown had anger crept over him. An anger that surprised even Allen himself. He blinked.

Was he? Could he be…?

Unsure of where it had came from, Allen clamped his mouth shut, stuck his hands in his pockets, and walked back to his salon.

No, Allen wasn't jealous...He was just….

Feeling unwell.

**XXX**

**Wow. Rio didn't even talk in this one. But I'm pretty sure she felt the death glare from Allen the whole time she was talking to Rod. She just chose to ignore it.**

**Thanks for reviewing: **umbreonix, Swag Giraffe, Redhead Nerdette (All three of your reviews made me very happy! I'm glad that I'm making this ship work!)

**Thanks for following/favoriting: **tolkienlover, Redhead Nerdette


	11. K is for Kiss

K is for Kiss

"K-kiss?!" Rio spluttered, her face turning a charming shade of red. She could feel the heat from her face moving to her ears, then down her neck, before suddenly spreading out through her whole body. She stared, paralyzed, at the boy who had asked her the question.

The question of if she wanted a kiss.

"F-from you!?" Rio asked, her voice shaking uncontrollably.

The boy across from her chuckled before nodding his head.

"Yes." He said simply. "Do you want one?"

Unlike the blushing farmer who was standing in front of him, Allen was remaining perfectly calm. His expression, although teasing, held no sign of embarrassment, or mortification, or even surprise. In fact, his expression was the exact opposite of the one Rio had on.

"I-I…um…ahh…"

Rio was still spluttering as she nervously pulled on her clothes, tugged at her hair, and did anything to keep herself from looking at the stylist. Allen watched as she awkwardly seemed to wiggle under his gaze. A small smirk ran across his face.

"Rio." He said suddenly in a calm, almost alluring, voice. The girl froze and slowly looked back at him.

Taking a few steps forward and closing the distance between them, he carefully lifted one of his hands up and gently pulled a loose strand of hair away from Rio's face. Flinching slightly, the farmer closed her eyes and attempted to turn away when she heard Allen whisper,

"Shh…."

And with that small breath, that small reassurance, Rio relaxed into his touch. She felt his hand slid from her hair to her cheek before coming to rest under her chin. She felt her face be lifted slightly and felt the warmth of Allen's breath tickle her nose. She braced herself, eyes squeezed shut, for what was about to come-

Then,

She felt a cold object being pressed into her lips.

Rio opened her eyes and blinked. She looked up into Allen's amused face and watched as a smirk danced across his lips.

"A chocolate kiss." He said teasingly. "Olivia's newest creation, what do you think?"

A new wave of embarrassment washed through Rio. Quickly she pulled back from the chocolate and the red head.

"Y-you jerk!" She screamed, glaring at Allen. The stylist only laughed.

"Why Rio, I thought I told you before that you weren't ready for a kiss…. Unless," He said, his voice still teasing her. "Unless you actually _were_ ready this time."

Rio growled at him, her look becoming venomous.

"Yeah well-!" She spat, her hands clenching into fists. She looked angrily straight into Allen's eyes.

"Maybe I was ready you jerk!"

With that statement, she spun around and marched back to her farm, her feet slamming into the dirt road.

It was only after she had re-watered her crops and had eaten a good meal did the reality of her words suddenly come crashing back to her. In shock, she dropped the plate that she had been washing. It clattered to the floor (luckily not breaking) and caused Bessie to suddenly wake up and start barking. Rio however didn't seem to notice.

She slowly lifted a sudsy hand to her lips.

"I…. was?" She whispered in surprise.

**XXX**

**How many of you hate me? All of you?! Why I'm sorry that Rio didn't get a kiss but Allen was offering her a chocolate one! **

**(On a side note, I guess this is Allen's way of revenge for Rio ignoring him in the last chapter. But that's okay, Rod found him still glued to the same spot an hour later!)**

**Thanks for reviewing: **numbuh44, umbreonix,imaginebelieve

**Thanks for following/ favoriting: **numbuh44, imaginebelieve,hanamiyuki


	12. L is for Like

L is for Like

"What do I do Yuri?" Rio wailed, burying her face in her pillow. For the rest of the week, the farmer had been terrified to leave her farm, fearing that if she did she would bump into Allen. Even thinking about his face made Rio want to punch him and (dare she mention it) kiss him at the same time.

Yuri looked at her thoughtfully, stirring her cup of earl gray tea, before answering the blonde.

"Well…" She said carefully. "You said that Allen annoys you…correct?"

Rio nodded.

"You also said," the tailor continued. "That Allen …interests you." The tailor cocked her head. "Correct?"

Rio nodded again. "That guy drives me crazy!" She said, wringing out the pillow in her hands. "He's such a jerk! He's always making fun of me and he's always bragging about how amazing he is at everything and he can be so….so…." She took a deep breath before continuing.

"He can be so conceited and arrogant!" She yelled. "Sometimes I…I just want to strangle him or something!" Rio's fists clenched around her poor pillow.

Then, she sighed.

"But," She said, her voice suddenly becoming soft. "But….even with all his faults…..There's something about him that makes me want to be near him…." Her voice trailed off.

The house suddenly became very quiet as Rio contemplated her situation. Why? Why did Allen anger her? Why did he annoy her?

Why did he….interest her?

Yuri nodded, as if coming to a mental answer. She looked up and stared straight into Rio's blue eyes before saying three words that Rio never expected the tailor to say.

"You like him." She said bluntly.

The farmer gasped. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth. The pillow fell, wrinkled but still alive, to the ground.

"L-l-l-like him?!" She spluttered. "W-w-why would I-! He's such a jerk! And I…I…!"

She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as Yuri's calm expression stared down at her.

"I-I mean-!" Rio yelled. "I don't dislike him! Not at all! I just…just…!"

"Like him?" Yuri said again, a reassuring smile spreading across her face.

Rio sat paralyzed.

She…liked him?

Him? Allen?

Did she….see him more than a friend? An annoyance? A jerk?

Did she see him as….someone more special?

She thought about Allen. How he always teased her... yet somehow managed to complement her at the same time. How his arrogance made her blood boil... but also secretly impressed her. How she hated his smug face... but always felt sad when she watched him leave. How his conversations seemed to make everything more….exciting.

How he smiled at her when they were together. Alone. Just the two of them.

How he never ceased to amaze her...and how he always...always made her heart beat faster.

Her heart...

She placed a hand over her chest and closed her eyes.

Her heart was hammering. Loud, quick beats.

She opened her eyes as realization began washing over her.

"Yeah…" Rio whispered, her voice delicate and gentle. She smiled at Yuri, understanding now what she should have realized a long time ago. She laughed at her own stubbornness,

"I…like Allen."

**XXX**

**Yes. I am awesome. I know, I know, hold the applause.  
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**I guess we can all expect to see a little "ring action" in the near future? (hee hee hee)**

**Thanks for reviewing: ** Swag Giraffe (btw loved your review!), Redhead Nerdette, Psyff101

**Thanks for following/favoriting: **Psyff101


	13. M is for Mask

M is for Mask

"Allen?"

"Hm?"

"You're wearing your mask again."

Allen looked up. "My mask?" he asked, confused. "What mask?"

The stylist had been trying to sort inventory when Rod suddenly came into his salon and began chatting his ear off. Not that Allen minded though. Rather than that,

He had been worried that a certain blonde haired farmer had come instead of the pet shop owner.

"That mask you wear when…something happened. At least," Rod said, rubbing the back of his head. "I think that's what it is."

Allen frowned.

"I don't have a mask." He said. "You're probably just imagining things." Rod quickly shook his head.

"No…. You're definitely wearing your mask." Rod said, his voice defiant. "If anything happened you know you can tell me! After all we are-"

"Nothing happened." Allen said, cutting him off. He turned away and began counting the number of conditioners he had stocked (for the fifth time that day.)

"No!" Rod suddenly yelled, pulling him back by the collar of his jacket. The stylist stumbled, almost falling, before catching himself and shooting a glare at the other boy.

"What in the Harvest Goddess name do you think you're-!"

"Something defiantly happened!" Rod continued. He then added,

"You've been acting different this week!"

Allen froze. And for a split second, Rod saw what looked like panic cross over his friend's face.

"Different?" Allen asked, tugging himself from Rod's grasp. He turned around, now fully facing Rod, and adjusted his clothes. His calm demeanor seemed somewhat shaken. "What do you mean?"

Rod shrugged then shuffled his feet, his gaze suddenly not meeting that of his friend's.

"You've been more…. quiet this week." He finally answered. "Like…you've been thinking of something."

"…"

"…"

A silence filled the air between the two boys. Rod glanced back at Allen, who had a distant look in his eyes. One that looked almost foreign on the stylist's face. It was a look that Rod had never seen before.

Finally, what felt like an eternity later, Allen spoke.

"Quiet huh?" He mumbled, talking more to himself than to Rod. "I guess when she's not here…." His voice trailed off, leaving the two boys in silence again.

"Um…Allen?" Rod asked. "What do you mean? Are you okay?"

His voice seemed to bring the stylist back to reality. The red head blinked and looked at him.

Then, Allen did something that surprised Rod.

He smiled.

"Yeah…I'm fine." Allen said, "I just…. really have been wearing a mask."

"Huh?" Rod asked, confused. Allen just shook his head.

"And I call her dense." He muttered, still to himself. "Really, how could I miss something that was right in front of me?"

Rod stood there, still confused. "What do you mean?" He asked again. "Who are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Allen said coolly. "It's just…. there's something I have to do." He said, walking past Rod towards the salon's door.

"Huh? What?" Rod asked, still lost. "What do you need to do?"

Allen looked back and gave another grin before saying,

"It's a secret."

**XXX**

**Oh Allen….Between you and Rio I don't know who's worse! But even when he's confused, he still manages to tease someone! (Sorry Rod, you're going have to wait to find out that "secret")**

**Thanks for reviewing: **Tailor of our He,

**Thanks for favoriting/following: **booksandbands


	14. N is for Now

N is for Now

She felt scared.

She felt nervous.

Her palms felt sweaty, her heart was beating fast, and she could literally feel her entire body shaking.

Still she knew she had to do this.

Lodged in one of her hands was the object of her future. The object that would determine her fate with Allen,

The Commitment Ring.

She had to do this. She had to tell him.

Now.

She couldn't wait any longer. She _wouldn't _wait any longer. She was going to march right to Allen's house and tell him about her feelings. No more putting it off, no more hiding away in her house,

Now. She was going to tell him now.

Taking a deep breath, Rio threw open her house door and...

"What the-!" She yelped.

Right outside her door, his hand raised as if to knock,

Was Allen.

"A-Allen!?" Rio spluttered. "What are you doing here?"

The surprised expression on the stylist's face melted into a relaxed smile.

"Ah Rio." He said. "I was hoping you would come out." Rio blushed.

"Um...I...uh..." Whatever confidence Rio once had was (rapidly) diminishing as she stared at Allen. Quickly averting her gaze, she tried again to speak.

"I-I...um.."

Instead though, incoherent words began to tumble out of her mouth. Her fist that was holding the ring was shaking.

"I-I..."

She had to do this. Now. She promised herself she would. She swore that she would but,

She was scared.

Then,

"There's something I want to tell you." Allen suddenly said. Rio looked back at him in surprise. Without even waiting for a response, he grabbed Rio's free hand and began pulling her away.

"Allen!" Rio yelled, surprise replacing her previous nervousness. "What do you think your-?!"

"Just trust me." Allen answered bluntly, not meeting her gaze. He continued to lead her, his hand tightly holding hers.

Now. _He_ was going to do this now.

**XXX**

**It's coming...  
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**Thanks for reviewing: **Swag Giraffe, umbreonix, Tailor of our Hearts, Redhead Nerdette, CrimsonCrush

**Thanks for following/favoriting: **CleanAsAWhistle


	15. O is for Opals

O is for Opals

He had never noticed before, but her eyes were like opals.

Two, bright, sparkly, blue opals.

Two bright, sparkly, blue opals that were refusing to meet his gaze.

A warm, fluttery feeling had filled his chest when he had taken her hand. The feeling only seemed to grow as he led her to the Goddess' Pond. Now, watching her as a soft whistle of wind blew through his hair, he noticed that the girl in front him was... special. Her cheeks were flushed slightly, her hair was (as usual) unkempt and,

She was absolutely beautiful.

"Hey Rio."

Her eyes met his when he called her name. Instantly she took a step back.

"W-what?" she asked, her voice shaking. Allen just smiled. Reaching out he carefully ran a hand through her hair and rested it on the side of her face. She flinched slightly at his touch.

"You know," he said, "Lately a lot of people have asked me if we're dating." He could feel Rio tensing from his words underneath his hand.

"T-they are?" she squeaked. Allen nodded. A slight heat began radiating from her cheeks as her eyes drifted away from his.

Slowly, almost flirty, he gently brushed his thumb over her lips and brought those opal eyes back to his. He took a deep breath.

"It's a pain denying it all the time."

Those eyes widened. A soft gasp emanated from Rio's lips before Allen pressed his finger against them.

"So, I was thinking," he paused a second before continuing. "I was thinking…it might be best if we really go out with each other."

Removing his finger from her lips, he leaned back and gave her his signature, cocky smirk.

"Watcha say Rio?" he said. "Want to be my girl?" He then added with a wink,

"I promise not to hurt you."

Her opal eyes seem to grow wider.

"I-I…" she said, looking down. She took a deep breath and muttered,

"Idiot."

Allen frowned. "Excuse me?" he asked, crossing his arms in mild annoyance.

"I called you an idiot!" Rio yelled, looking back up. Taking another deep breath, she extended her opposite hand towards him. Opening up her closed fingers, she presented the glittery, silver ring to the stylist.

"I was going to ask you that."

Allen looked at her, surprised. Then, after a few seconds of silence, his smile returned to his face.

"That's what I wanted to hear." He said, taking the ring from her hand. He slipped it onto his finger and kissed its silver surface.

Those bright opal eyes were looking at him as he did. He smiled at them.

"I mean, not that I thought you'd ever turn down a guy like me." He said teasingly.

The opal eyes seemed to narrow at him.

"Excuse me," Rio said. "I can still walk away if I wanted to you know!"

"But you wouldn't." Allen countered. Then, taking her hand, he pulled Rio into an embrace.

"From now on…you're my girl." He said, gently kissing her forehead. "Thanks princess."

Opals. He could've sworn those opal eyes were tearing up.

**XXX**

**Based on the reviews I have previously gotten, I am pretty sure I have killed user Swag Giraffe.**

**Rest in Peace Swaggy-chan.**

**Thanks for reviewing: **umbreonix, Redhead Nerdette, Swag Giraffe, CrimsonCrush, kouhaixsempai, Tailor of our Hearts

**Thanks for following/favoriting: **Tailor of our Hearts


	16. P is for Pompous

P is for Pompous

"Listen. Everything that belongs to you is mine, Rio. And everything that belongs to me is also mine."

Rio stared at Allen, almost too shocked to speak.

Did he…. really just say that?

After a few moments of stunned silence, she quickly glared at the stylist.

"Excuse me." She said, her teeth gritted in annoyance. "I don't think that's something you should be saying to your _girlfriend._" Rage began to rush through her body and her hands became clenched in anger.

Allen however, just smirked.

"What's wrong? You can't accept that?" he teased. "Before too long that's the only way you'll want it."

That did it.

"Like hell I will!" Rio screamed, suddenly standing. Her chair crashed to the ground but she ignored it. "You're lucky I'm dating you! Honestly you can be such a pompous ass-!"

She was cut off by two lips lightly kissing her cheek. Giving her a grin Allen whispered,

"You're so cute when you're mad…. My Rio."

She glared up at him, her cheeks red.

"Pompous asshole." She muttered under her breath.

**XXX**

**I'm sorry. "P" doesn't stand for "Princess." This line seems to piss a lot of people off. Personally, I see it's a very Allen thing to do. I mean, if one line out of all his lines is enough to cause people to break up with him, I think that's very sad. That being said, it takes a strong girl like Rio to handle a guy like Allen. **

**Thanks for reviewing: ** imaginebelieve, Tailor of our Hearts, CrimsonCrush, Wingull.

**Thanks for following/favoriting: **CrimsonCrush, EseraCharms, Ajayapplepie

**I'm sorry, but this next part is going to be rude. Followers of this story don't have to read this. **

**Dear Reviewer Wingull,**

**Those two mere sentences pulled on my heart. Hard. I don't know if you know, but it hurts. It hurts when people like you type words like that. **

**I know it's stupid to blow up after ONE comment, but please be aware that I am human. I get mad. I get sad. I'm not a robot. I'm someone who feels. **

**That being said, I'm leaving your review up. My account, my rules, my story. You gotta problem with that? Then why don't you login and face me like a writer.**

**-Heart**


	17. Q is for Quiet

Q is for Quiet

He was…quiet.

Too quiet.

Rio couldn't help but fidget nervously as Allen stroked her blonde hair, his fingers untangling any knots that he found and gently massaging the hair wax deeper into her scalp. She suppressed a groan of enjoyment as his fingers brushed through her.

Still….

Allen had been quiet for a long time. A _really_ long time. Granted, she never knew if Allen talked to his customers when he styled their hair (as she never found a good reason to change her hair from its vibrant blonde to a different color or even change its length) but it was…almost unsettling having Allen not speak. She looked at the stylist.

He had on an expression she had never, ever seen before. An expression that made her blush.

_"So…. that's his working face."_ Rio thought to herself. His eyes were transfixed on her hair, his eyebrows were knitted together in concentration and his mouth had formed a small pout. She couldn't help but smile as she watched him work.

Sometimes, she forgot what an amazing person Allen was and how…. lucky she was to have him.

"What's up Rio? Are you fascinated by how cool I look while I'm working?"

Allen's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She blinked, realizing that her boyfriend was looking at her and wearing a different, more mischievous expression.

"Yeah-" she mumbled absent mindedly. Then, realizing what she had said, she gasped and quickly shook her head.

"I-I mean n-no!" she spluttered, embarrassed at being caught off guard. "I was just wondering why you look so…. weird when you work!" It was a hastily lie, and she knew that he wasn't buying it.

His laughter was the proof of it all.

"You're so much fun Rio." he chuckled. "You get so petulant so easily, it just makes me want to tease you _all_ the time!"

"Hey!" Rio said indignantly. "Just because we're dating doesn't mean you can just-!" She emanated a small gasp as Allen's fingers gently pinched her cheek.

"Ow!"

"I'm just kidding." He said teasingly, letting go of her cheek. He smiled at the cross look Rio gave him as she rubbed her cheek, before suddenly casting his eyes downward. Taking a deep breath he muttered,

"To tell you the truth…. I was quiet because…I'm a little nervous."

It took a few moments for Rio to fully comprehend the words he had just spoken. Her hand falling from her face, she looked at the stylist, shocked at what he had told her.

Allen, the man who prided himself on perfection and haughtiness, was…nervous.

"Y-you?" she asked her eyes widening. "Really?"

To her add to her surprise the stylist nodded slowly, almost as if he was…shy.

"Can you forgive me?" he asked, spinning the chair she was sitting in around so that she was now facing him.

Rio just sat there... still trying to accept the fact that Allen had admitted he was nervous.

Him. Allen. Her annoying, charming, pompous, cute, kind boyfriend….

Was acting so…innocent right now.

The way that he was blushing slightly and the way he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, refusing to make eye contact with her, was so…. new to her.

"Um…I…uh…" she said, unused to being in a position where Allen was sincerely apologizing to _her_. No teasing, no cockiness,

Just…Allen.

After a few seconds of her shocked silence, Allen suddenly spoke.

"A-actually," he said, his voice shaking a little (another thing Rio thought she'd never hear) "Nervous might not be the right word…it's just that…."

His voice trailed off and a small blush was staining his cheeks. Taking another deep breath, he looked back at her.

"Touching your hair feels so good Rio."

As he spoke, he leaned down and lifted a few strands of her hair. Kissing them lightly, he looked into Rio's blue eyes and asked in an innocent voice,

"Do you like it when I style your hair Princess?"

The charming shade of red that Rio turned not only answered his question, but also earned the farmer a kiss on the cheek.

XXX

**You guys don't know how happy this chapter makes me feel! I mean…this heart event is so so so so cute and I've been looking forward to writing it so much! Aw….Allen being so cute makes blush! To be honest though, I feel like this chapter was not as good as my other chapters...**

**Thanks for reviewing: ****Tailor of our Hearts, Contestshipper16, CrimsonCrush, umbreonix, tolkienlover, Swag Giraffe, Redhead Nerdette.**

**I seriously mean it, thanks to everyone who reviews this story and the comments you give me. On the last chapter, I wasn't looking for sympathy or anything, I just wanted to address something that I felt was personal. But you guys gave me so much encouragement and expressions of gratitude in the reviews that….well…I guess it reminded me that I'm not alone when I write this. Just…thank you all so much. I'm so happy that you like this fic and I feel like I'm starting to belong in the Harvest Moon fanfic community. **

**So…thanks a lot and I hope you'll all stay with me till Chapter Z!**


	18. R is for Rio

R is for Rio

Allen never understood the saying "I love you."

Of course he knew what love was, having been showered in it in his youth by his mother, sister, and his friends, but…

"Love" love?

The type of love that two people swore to each other…

The type of love that made two people _want_ to be together always….

The type of love that his mother and father once had?

No…he didn't understand it. Not one bit.

"Idiot."

The second _she _confessed to him though, he felt something…different inside of himself. Different from what the "like" feeling he had towards Rio was.

It was as if something had suddenly made his heart beat faster, like it was trapped in a small space, and made his body go all tingly, like he had been plunged in ice water.

The feeling was wonderful…but….

It scared him.

**XXX**

**Throwback to first letter! **

**Allen has (according to what he says in his pink heart conversation) father-issues. What's scary is that he uses the present tense "have" for his mother and sister, but the past tense "had" for his father. Makes me want to go over there and hug him.**

**Thanks for reviewing: **CrimsonCrush, imaginebelieve, umbreonix, Daylightlily, Redhead Nerdette.

**Thanks for following/favoriting: **Daylightlily


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